Under the provisions of Bharathiar University Act 1981, Bharathiar University was formed in the year 1982 by the Tamil Nadu Government in the city of Coimbatore. The Madras University’s postgraduate centre, which was operating at Coimbatore before the year 1982 became the base for forming this university. For getting grants, the university was approved by the UGC in the year 1985.

The university was formed in remembrance of the great poet Subramania Bharathi and every effort is being made by the university to realize the aspiration of this poet, which is to make educational establishments as a holy place of learning. The university is working towards the objective of inculcating creative values, attitudes, skills and knowledge among the younger generation. The list of colleges affiliated to the university is given below:

Private and government colleges affiliated to the university:

• A.G. Arts and Science College for Women

• Adharsh Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science for Women

• Air Force Administrative College

• AJK College of Arts and Science

• Angappa College of Arts & Science

• Ayyan Thiruvalluvar College of Arts & Science

• Bharathiar University Arts and Science College, Gudalur

• Bharathiar University Arts and Science College, Valparai

• Bharathidasan College of Arts & Science

• Bharathidasan School of Business

• Bharathidasan School of Computer Applications

• Bishop Ambrose College

• Bishop Thorp College

• Botanical Survey of India

• CBM College

• Central Institute for Cotton Research

• Centre for Research in Social Sciences, Technology & Culture

• Cherraans Arts, Science College

• Cherran College For Women

• Chikkaiah Naicker College

• Chikkanna Govt. Arts College

• CMS Academy of Management and Technology

• CMS College of Science & Commerce

• CMS Institute of Management Studies

• Coimbatore Institute of Management & Technology

• CSI Bishop Appaswamy College of Arts & Science

• D.J. Academy for Managerial Excellence

• Dalmia Center for Research & Development

• Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences

• Defence Institute of Psychological Research

• Defence Research & Development Establishment

• Dr. R.V. Arts and Science College

• Dr. SNS Rajalakshmi College of Arts & Science

• DR. G.R. Damodaran College of Science

• Dr. N.G.P. Arts & Science College

• Dr. R.A.N.M. Arts and Science College

• Emerald Heights College for Women

• Erode Arts & Science College

• Erode Christian College of Arts and Science for Women

• G R Damodaran Academy of Management

• Gobi Arts & Science College

• Government Arts College, Coimbatore

• Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam

• Government Arts College, Udumalpet

• Guruvayurappan Institute of Management

• Hindustan College of Arts & Science

• Indian Institute of Spices Research.

• Institute for Forest Genetic and Tree Breeding

• Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS)

• International Institute of Ayurveda

• Jansons School of Business

• K.G. College of Arts & Science

• K.S.G. College of Arts and Science

• Kaamadhenu Arts & Science College

• Kamalam College of Arts & Science

• Kamban College of Arts and Science

• Karuppannan Mariappan College

• KAYPEEYES College of Arts and Science

• KGISL Institute of Information Management

• Kongu Arts And Science College

• Kongunadu Arts and Science College

• Kovai Kalaimagal College of Arts and Science

• Lakshmi Narayana Visalakshi Arts and Science College

• LRG Govt. Arts College for Women

• Maharaja Arts & Science College

• Maharaja Co-Educational Arts & Science College

• Maharani Arts & Science Women’s College

• Michael Job College of Arts and Science for women

• Nallamuthu Gounder Mahalingam College

• Nandha Arts and Science College

• Navarasam Arts & Science College for Women

• Nehru Arts and Science College

• Nehru College of Management

• NIFT-TEA College of Knitwear Fashion

• Nirmala College for Women

• Park’s College

• Pasteur Institute of India

• Pioneer College of Arts and Science

• PKR Arts College for Women

• Providence College for Women

• PSG College of Arts and Science

• PSG Institute of Advanced Studies

• PSGR Krishnammal College for Women

• Rathinam College of Arts & Science

• Rathinavel Subramaniam College of Arts & Science

• S.M.S. College of Arts & Science

• S.N.R. Sons College

• Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History

• Sankara College of Science & Commerce

• Saratha College of Arts & Science

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Textile Management

• Sasurie College of Arts & Science

• Shiri Kumaran College of Arts and Science

• Shri Nehru Maha Vidyalaya College of Arts & Science

• Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL).

• Southern India Textile Research Association (S.I.T.R.A)

• Sree Amman Arts and Science College

• Sree Narayana Guru College

• Sree Ramu College of Arts & Science

• Sree Saraswathi Thyagaraja College

• Sri Gee College of Arts & Science

• Sri GVG Visalakshi College for Women

• Sri Jayendra Saraswathy Maha Vidhyalaya College of Arts & Science

• Sri Krishna Arts and Science College

• Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science for Women

• T. Stanes and Company Limited

• TERF’s Academy College of Arts and Science

• Texcity Arts & Science College

• Thavathiru Santhalinga Adigal. Arts, Science & Tamil

• Tiruppur Kumaran College for Women

• United Planter’s Association of Southern India, (UPASI Tea Research Inst)

• V.N. Krishnasamy Naidu College of Arts & Science for Women

• Vellakoil Arts & Science College

• Vellalar College for Women

• Vidyasagar College of Arts and Science

• VLB Janaki Ammal College of Arts & Science

• Wisdom School of Management

The university is located at a sprawling campus spread over 1000 acres at the background of Maruthamalai Hills about 15 km from the Coimbatore city. Apart from the aforesaid aim, the university also aims at innovating and offering educational programs in different areas by interacting with industry.

The university also looks to provide equal opportunity to women students so as to prepare them to meet the technological and scientific demands of the nation. The campus of the university has several facilities like hostels, internet center, women care center, planning and development cell, students welfare bureau, health and fitness center, counseling center, SC/ST welfare cell, science instrumentation center and even post office and bank. The university is offering courses under different categories like under-graduation, post-graduation, diploma and certificate courses.